When Will You Tell Me?

1. Children's Day

"And now, please welcome Touya 6-dan, who last year became the youngest major title challenger in history as he gained the rights to challenge Ogata Gosei. Today Touya-sensei will give the awards to our excellent young players..."

Hikaru popped a can of soda and watched the stage from across the venue. Maybe he should have felt annoyed as his rival stood in the spotlight, his exploits sung to the cheering crowd, but Hikaru didn't. As much as he hated trailing behind Touya Akira, as the latter's destined rival he would be the person who knew Akira's ability and effort best, and to Shindou Hikaru, it was natural that someone like Akira deserved to have achieved as much, if not more.

Plus, it's not like he would trail behind for long. Over the past few years Hikaru had become much more seasoned in battles, and official matches against the highest dans no longer mentally overwhelmed him. The one thing that once truly differentiated Akira from Hikaru - the perserverance to tenaciously insist on victory in the face of pressure and incredible odds, no matter the opponent - he had gradually picked up, from Akira, from the intense fights he had, from remembering Sai. It has been more than 4 years since he became a pro. Now Hikaru was ready to fight all the way through the tournaments and do the same thing as Akira: challenge a title.

A couple children saw Hikaru and excitedly rushed over with their parents for an autograph. One of them already had Akira's autograph on one side of the paper. Hikaru smiled, pretended to be insulted, then signed a  bigger one next to Akira's. Their rivalry had become very well-known. The Weekly Go once published a story about how a young Touya Akira allegedly saw through the talent sleeping within a Shindo Hikaru who was completely new to Go, how Akira's sense was so sharp that he immediately regarded the future Hikaru as his eternal rival, and so on and so forth...

The newspaper actually got little of the story out of either of them and, obviously, they didn't know about Sai. Nobody knew about Sai. Nobody but, probably, Touya Akira. Probably. Because Hikaru never really explained it to him. Akira just desperately settled with a vague answer on his own, that there was someone else beside Hikaru, in Hikaru.

It made Hikaru really happy, and he had considered that maybe someday, he could tell Akira about Sai. But as time passed, he wondered if it would be better not to bring that up again. Akira seemed to have stopped asking, and for these past few years, the person he had been facing and wanting to face was always Hikaru, the real Hikaru, not Sai.

Maybe, maybe... that would be for the best.

"Shindo, your signature looks better than before."

Hikaru glanced towards the source of the giggly compliment. It's Nase Asumi. She became a pro last year, the deserving result of never giving up. All the ex-insei were truly glad for her.

"Thanks. Akira and Kurata-san often nag me about it, they even made me practice signing a bit." Hikaru grins.

"Eh? I know you and Touya are obsessive rivals and play each other a lot, but you're actually that close? You even call each other by first name?" Nase widened her eyes, suddenly becoming very interested.

"Ah... I go to his house to play Go sometimes. When his parents are there, it just become more natural to call him Akira..." Hikaru scratched his head. When did they start going by first name again? Probably in one of the meals with Akira's parents...

"Wow. So you get to play Touya Meijin too? I heard he's rarely ever in Japan anymore!"

"Yeah. It gets crowded when he's home. Akira only calls me over when there's no visitors. I kinda feel bad because lately Meijin's been inviting me to a game every time, and he should have rested. But Akira says he's fine, and I can't resist playing Meijin either." Hikaru shrugged, chugging his cola, then scrunched his nose. "Urgh, but don't tell Waya, okay? If Morishita sensei knows I'll never hear the end of it!"

"Alright, alright." Nase smiled heartily. "I know who to call when I'm in desperate need of training partner then. You can't turn me down!"

Hikaru grunted and laughed awkwardly.

"I'm jealous, really." Said Nase with endearment.

"Don't be. Your journey starts now. I'll have to watch out for you too." Hikaru gave her a bright smile. Then he waved goodbye to her as she stayed to replace his shidougo spot in the afternoon. Hikaru exited the hall.

"Hikaru? You done?" Akira was already in the staff's wing, returning his name badge and signing off.

"Yeah. No more awards to give out?" Hikaru nods to him, removing his own name badge. Akira shakes his head:

"Done for the day. I'm free now. I was going to ask if you've got any plans yet."

"Not really. You?"

"Nothing. My parents are still in Korea too, so no point going home." Akira said as they both walked to the entrance. "Lunch, then? After that we can play some."

From outside the building they could see colorful carps flying here and there. It was Children's Day. Hikaru stared at them, dazed for a moment. Akira noticed.

"Cool if your treat." Hikaru said. "I feel like sushi."

"What? You've been eating at my place all the time." Akira protested.

"It takes frigging long to go to your house, and I do bring food every time." Hikaru snarked back.

"I told you to buy a yearly card."

"Doesn't cover the time, does it? It's far even to walk from the station."

"I cover that every day, you're being a wimp!" Akira scoffed dismissively.

"Well? Why don't YOU come to my place for a change then?!" Hikaru started getting agitated, as per usual.

"You never invited." Instead of the usual retort, Akira turned around and looked him dead in the eyes. Hikaru opened his mouth, suddenly taken aback. He awkwardly said:

"Well... One of these days. Our house is small compared to yours. Plus my mom is almost always around."

"As long as there's enough space to play Go, I wouldn't mind." Akira decided to let the subject slide. "So what is it, sushi? Do you know one nearby?"

"I think... there's one around the corner near the station...?" Hikaru pointed his finger vaguely.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's just walk there first." Akira said, punching the crossing button at the intersection. Hikaru had never been good with directions and places. He never knew anything. Akira always had to do everything, what's with that?

(...)